Letter: Amazon pays no fed tax again

March 31, 2019

To the Editor:

Despite revenue of over $232 billion, Amazon made only $9.4 billion in 2019. However, with the convoluted bought-and-paid-for tax code, they will pay the same as in 2017 — zero. By using all the preferences and loopholes written into the code by lobbying, Amazon and most other companies avoid paying taxes the rest of us pay.

Many companies and partnerships give their "shareholders" tax-free distributions. Nonprofit hospitals make millions but pay no taxes. New York City was going to give Amazon over $3 billion in tax saving to locate there.

How much did Will County give for the Amazon warehouses in real estate tax savings and will they leave for another place later? Look at how much those warehouses are costing in infrastructure. Still zero federal taxes. How about Illinois taxes?